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Feb. 3, 1931. H. w. KNOTT 1,190,754

BLADE SHARPENER @riginal Filed Feb. 25, 1926 Patented Feb. 3, 1931UNITED STATES 'HENDERSON W. XN OTT, 0l' VALPARAISO, DTDIANA BLADEBHABPENEB Application illed February 23, 1886, Serial Io. 88,985.Renewed December 12, 1828.

This invention relates to the type of blade Sharpeners in which asharpening action is effected by magnetic action and more par, ticularlpertains to a device for sharpening razor b ades ofthe character setforth in my co-pending ap lication for United States Letters Patent ledApril 30, 1925, Serial No. 26939.

The primary object of the present invenl tion is to provide an effectivemeans for holding a blade to be sharpened in such relation to the polesof amagnet that the action of the latter will serve to straighten outand align the fine or microscopic teeth composing the cutting edge ofthe blade which have been bent out of alignment, and whereby magneticlines of force emanating from the magnet will effect a sharpening actionon the 'cutting edge of the blade.

further object is to provide a device of the above character which isespecially applicable for use in holding safety razor blades of thedouble cutting edge type and which is so constructed that the blade maybe readily and accurately positioned within the magnetic eld and easilyremoved therefrom.

A further object is to provide a means whereby the blade will be heldunder tension or pressure while being subjected to the action of amagnet so. as to effect straightening of the blade in event it be curvedor Warped.

With the foregoing objects in view to-` gether with such other objectsand advantages as ma subsequently appear, the invention resi esgenerally in the provision of a magnet having a pair of opposed magneticpoles, together with a housing or casing for the magnet tted with ademountable slide for the reception of a blade to be sharpened, and inso constructiong the housing and slide as to facilitate disposing theslide in such position in the casing as to properly place the bladethereon in close proximity but in spaced relation to the opposed magnetpoles. The invention further resides in the parts and in thecombination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter describedand claimed and illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device;

Fig. 2 is a view in cross section as seen on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device with portions broken away toillustrate constructive details thereof;

Fig. 4 is an end view;

Fig. 5 is aA perspective of the slide as re- 00 moved;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a modified construction of theslide.

Referring to the drawings more speciicaL ly, 10 indicatesv generally amagnet which 55 may be of any suitable construction but whichessentially embodies a pair of opposed poles 11 and 12 suitably spacedapart and of elongated form so as to extend throughout the length of theblade B interposed therebetween. The magnet is here shown as comprisin apermanent ma net of general U- shape form with the po e members 11 and12 Cprojecting inwardly from le members 13 an 14 connected together by aase 15. The 75 magnet 10, however, may comprise an electro-magnet ofconventional form having opposed poles arranged as here shown.

Encasing the magnet i0 is a housing 16 embodying a top wall 17, sideWalls 18 and 80 19 and end walls 20 and 21. The magnet is arrangedwithin the housing 16 with the poles 11 and 12 positioned adjacent theunderside of the top Wall 17 and with the leg members 13 and 14 of themagnet abutting against 85 the side walls 18 and 19. After positioninthe magnet in the housing, a bottom pane 22 is aixed at its margin tothe marginal edges of the side and end walls thus completely encasingthe magnet within the housing. The top wall 17 of the housing is formedwith a longitudinally extending slot 23 which opens at one end to a slot24 formed in the end wall 20 and extending between the end walls 2O and21 beneath the slot 23 95 is a fixed panel having downturned sideflanges a and b, which panel is spaced below and extends parallel withthe top panel 17 of the housing and is located between the opposed endfaces of the magnet poles 11 100 and 12 in spaced relation to thelatter. The lower margin of the slot 2A inthe end wall 20jextendssubstantially flush with the vtop surface of the panel 25 and is formedwith a pair of spaced notches c and d extending contigigus' to the outerfaces of the lianges a an Formed on the side margins of theslot 23 aredownwardly inclined tongues e, f, g and h, respectively and preferablyformed integral therewit is a pair of spaced parallel elongated plates26 and 27 which extend close to t e upper face of the panel 25, and byreason of their mountin on the tongues c, f, g and h are yieldably eldagainst movement perpendicularly to the plate 25.

Means are provided for holding a blade to .be sharpened and forpositioning the blade between the panel 25 and the plates 26 and 27 withthe cutting edges of the blades disposed contiguous to but not touchingthe opposed faces of the magnet poles l1 and l2. This means is hereshown as comprising a brass plate 28 having downturned side flanges e'and j and an upturned end ange la; the plate 28 being adapted to beinserted endwise through the slot to a position between the panel 25 andthe plates 26 and 2f? with the flanges 2, y' of the late 28 extendingalong the outer faces cip the marginal flanges a and I) of the panel 25,as particularly shown in Fig. 2. The side Hanges e' and j on the plate28 co-operate with the sides of the panel 25 to afford a guide :tor thelate 28 whereby the latter may be moved ongitudinall in and out of itsposition on the pane 25 without shifting laterally The notches' c and don the lower margin oi the end slot 24 serve to accommodate the flangesc' and j on the plate 28. As a means for hol the razor blade on theplate 28 the latter may y be ,formed with a recessed central portion asindicated at 29 in Fig. 5 having arcuate end walls l and m conformableto end curvatures of the blade so that when the blade is seated in therecess-29 as indicated in dotted lines in Fi 5 the ends of the bladewill be coniined y the arcuate walls Z and m thereby holdin the bladeagainst lateral and longitudna movement with relation to the carrierplate. This carrier plate is such width that when the razor blade is suported thereon the cutting edges of the bla e will project slightlybeyond the marns of the plate. A. modification of the blae holdingstructure is illustrated in Fig. 6 in which the plate 28 isshown asformed with a pair of upwardly projecting tongues 'a and o which areadapted to be inserted through holes formed in the razor blade to holdthe latter against longitudinal and lateral movement.

In the operation of the invention, the razor blade to be sharpened ispositioned on the carrier plate 28 and the latter is inserted lengthwisethrough the slot 24 so as to position the blade withboth its cuttingedges extending throughout the length thereof close to but not touchingthe-magnet poles 11 and 12. In thus positioning the carrier plate 28 onthe panel 25 the plates 26 and 27 on the ton es e, f, g and h will besprung upwardly so t at the tongues .will be placed under tensionwhereby the plates 26 and 27 will bev ength of time to accomplish thedesired result. .'lo remove the blade, the blade-carrying plate 28 iswithdrawn from the magnet housingand the blade removed therefrom. Theend flange it on the blade carrier serves to facilitate grasping thelatter in eecting its withdrawal from the slot 24.-

ile l have shown and described a speciic embodiment ci my invention, lldo not limit myself to the exact details ci construction or arrangementsho, but may employ vauch cha come within the meaning and scope ofl theappended claims.

l claim l l. In a magnetic blade Sharpener, a magnet having opposedpoles, a fixed panel extending between the poles oi the magnet, and ablade-carrying plate slidably enga cable with said panel for positioninga bla e carried thereon betweenthe poles of the ma et.

2. A magnetic blade Sharpener comprising a magnet having opposed poles,a housing enclosing said magnet, a fixed panel carried by said housingextending between the poles of the magnet, a demountable blade-carryingplate having side anges, said plate being slidable longitudinally ofsaid panel, means for holding a blade on said plate against longitudinaland transverse movement relative thereto, and means 'carried by saidhousing for exerting a pressure on a blade carried by said plate.

3. A magnetic blade Sharpener comprising a magnet having opposed poles,a housing encasing said magnet havin an end slot opening on a planeextending etween the magnet poles, a xed panel leading from said slotand extending between the magnet poles, a plate. slidable longitudinallythrough saidslot, means cooperating between said plate and panel forguiding the plate on longitudinal movement thereof on the panel, meansfor supporting a blade en said plate, and means es and modications asAclearly blade carriedy for exerting a pressure on a ythe late.

4. The method o k'eenness to blades, cons istingof introduc the bladelongitudinally into a magnetic fie d of force, maintainin the blade flatunder pressure substantial y parallel to a plane` that bisects them'ajor intensity ofthe magnetic field and is substantially parallel tothe magnetic lines of force thereof, and withdrawing the bladelongitudinally from the field of force.

5. The method of restorin keenness to blades, consisting of introduclnthe blade into a magnetic field of force an withdrawing the blade `fromthe field of force, and maintaining the blade at under pressure while insaid field of force and during its on the housing withdrawal ande'ecting such withdrawal is substantially .of force thereof.

substantially parallel 'to a plane that bisects the major intensity ofthe magnetic ield and parallel to the magnetic lines 6.. In a magneticblade shar I ner, a magnet ing a magnet having opposed poles, a housingencasmg said magnet havin an end slot opening on a plane extendin tweenthe magnet poles, a fixed panel le g from said slot an'd extendingbetween the magnet poles,

a plate slidable longitudinally throu h said ting edge disposedcontiguous to but spaced in relation thereto.

. In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature.

HENDERSON W. KNOTT.

ha spaced poles, means or introducing a bla e etween said poles on aplane that bisects the' axis of major intensity of the magnetic fieldand is substantially parallel to the lines of force thereof and forremoving said blade on asimilar plane, and means for holding said bladefiat under pressure while in saidmagnetic field.

7. In a-magnetic blade Sharpener, a magnet havin spaced poles, means forlintroducing a bla e between said poles, and for removin the blade on avplane that bisects the axis o major intensity of the ma etic field andis substantially arallel to t e lines of force thereof, means or mainta'a blade fiat under pressure while between said poles, and means forholdin the blade wit the edges thereof in paral el spaced relation tosaid oles while dlsposed therebetween.

' 8. In a magnetic blade shar ener, 'a magnet, means for introducing abl el into the mag-- netic field of said magnet and for removing saidblade from said field longitudinally on i a plane that is substantially.parallel tothe lines offforce of said magnetic field, and

means` for exerting pressure on said'blade while in said magneticfield.`

9. In a magnetic blade sharpener, a magnet, means for introducing andremoving a blade longitudinally under ressure into and out of themagnetic field. o said ma et in such a manner that the blade shall attimes be onla plane substantially parallel with the lines of force ofsaid magnetic field. `10. In a device of the class described, the

i combinationA of a hollow casing, a magnet havin spaced poles disposedwithin the casing, a lade holder adapted for insertion into the casing,land means operative to frictionally retain said holder between thepoles of y the magnet when inserted in the casmg.

11. A magnetic blade Sharpener compris-

